Cinque Terre in the rain

Its a good idea to have a plan B in case of bad weather. You could take the train to a larger town such as Santa Margherita or train/bus to Portofino. There isn't all that much to do in CT when the rain comes down, although we did spend a few hours under a restaurant tarp overlooking the ocean and having a few beers while the rain came down.

You're correct that, CT being a mostly outdoor/hiking/strolling kind of place, serious rain reduces the number of things left to do. People fortunate to have a room with a view can spend time there, maybe with wine and food (rain in the CT drives some to drink early in the day). Maybe quiet time with a good book (or with your travel partner, depending on certain variables?!).

But most rooms are small and many don't offer a view, so you can try to find a covered terrace or other public place with a view at a restaurant. Unlike Florence, Rome, etc, there aren't a large number of rainy day alternatives.

Thanks- that is pretty much what I thought! Perhaps getting on a ferry for a ride at least (with umbrella) would be an alternative in bad rain. Light rain, I think we might still tough it out! This is why I only planned a day and a half there for this trip!

I forgot to include the most important thing to do: think positive, it won't rain! That's your Plan A. But, if the weather gods aren't smiling upon you, then the other ideas are your Plan B.

Although hiking between Monterosso and Corniglia can be dangerous when it rains, the paths between Corniglia and Riomaggiore are fairly flat and mostly paved. Even on a rainy day, you could train between the villages, enjoy visiting them and walk the Via dell'Amore. Take the bus (or the few hundred steps) up to Corniglia for really great views. The first part of the path from Corniglia to Vernazza isn't too bad, so you could probably venture out to some great views fairly safely.

Hi Kelly. We were there last September & it rained for 2 out of the 3 days we were there. The CT was the crowning jewel of our trip, so I was pretty disappointed. There really isn't much to do there in the rain & when we did venture out, we got completely soaked in spite of umbrellas. But, I'm thankful for the 1 day we had without rain! The ferry boats don't run when the seas are the least bit choppy & the trails close as well, but you can still take the train between towns & walk around. You don't say when you're planning to be there, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that it doesn't rain.

You could always take a day trip to Lucca or Pisa.

Thanks you for the additional responses. I don't want to day trip out of CT as we'll only be there a little over one day, and made specific concessions in our planning so we could make this stop. That is good to know about what happens when it does rain heavily. We are going in mid-April, which I would imagine has a high chance for rain, so I just want to be prepared. Having a low-key day is fine, as long as we can find somewhere to enjoy the views!

Just remember that all the "bad" stuff that may happen in your travels is just material for stories you can tell when you get back, especially if there's any way to see the funny side of it. I've redeemed many embarrassing and/or frustrating moments that way.